Central Queensland University

Response to article on 'lack of an outcry' proves real concern over domestic violence deaths

Response to article on 'lack of an outcry' proves real concern over domestic violence deaths

Response to article on 'lack of an outcry' proves real concern over domestic violence deaths

Published:09 November 2018

Dr Silke Meyer is a Senior Lecturer in Domestic and Family Violence Practice, associated with CQUniversity's Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research.

When Dr Silke Meyer published an article in The Conversation focused on the lack of media, public or political outcry over the horrific number of deaths related to domestic and family violence in recent months, she did not realise it would provoke such a large response.

The CQUniversity researcher's article suggested that the message around DFV being all of our business was still not getting through.

The Conversation article has now been read by close to 48 000 people. It was also republished by the ABC, SBS and several other media outlets within hours of being published and led to several radio interviews across Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.

Dr Meyer also appeared on ABC breakfast news TV to discuss the issues.

'I didn't quite expect this response given that the reason for writing it was the lack of response to the issue in the first place but people seemed to be interested,' she says.

'Needless to say, it's also attracted the responses of a few men's rights activists complaining that the feminists always bang on about violence against women but they were by far outnumbered by other emails I received from victims, family of victims, social marketing campaigners, advocates and practitioners working with men who use violence.'

Dr Meyer is keen to continue promoting the key message of her original article, 'that we all need to have conversations about domestic and family violence to ensure the message gets through that it's everyone's business'.

Brisbane-based Dr Meyer is a Senior Lecturer in Domestic and Family Violence Practice, associated with CQUniversity's Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research.